Reflecting on a Roast and a Man

For The Sake Of Love

What can I say, it was a beautiful Sunday Afternoon, the day was meant for a storybook, better yet for a community of bikers, neighbors, old school buddies, Veterans, old timers, rockers and bar hoppers to get together for a good cause. I got to St. Stephens late in the afternoon, around 4:30 pm. Still, their was no place to park within 100 ft of the place. Bikes lined the side walk around the side street and part of the front of St. Stephens Bar.

I could smell the pig walking up St. Stephens Street, that bacon, pork chop and pork fat smell was all in the air. As I approached the mob of bikers, friends and beautiful people I found familiar faces all over. Mr. E. was their with one of his bartenders, Ruby and Shelly had just left. I shook hands and greeted all the folks from when “Cheers” was the place to hang. I saw Hildy, Biker Bob, Ilsa, (I just missed Googs) and too many others to mention. Let me get to the reason for the meeting.


As I walked upon the pig I noticed that a mob, (150-200 people when I showed up) everybody was eating something. For those who would not snack on swine there was hot dogs, burgers and other goodies. When I met up with Breezy he was checking in on everyone seeing that all were having a good time.

I asked Breezy about the Toys For Tots Ride and how it went. Breezy said, “It was supposed to take off at 10:00 in the morning, but the kids were all wound up and the cops wanted us to wait until 12:00…it was great.” Dozens upon dozens of bikers on bikes riding for the cause of Toys For Tots sponsored by the Marine Corps…the descriptions I got from bikers who participated portrayed it as nothing less than inspirational.

Then the music caught my ear, I knew I had heard that sound before, I had to check it out. That’s right up till now I had not even been able to get inside the bar. Inside was the Rock Cover Band “GENERATIONS”. Laying down the sound, rocking the bar, the street and the neighborhood with solid, no bull, hardcore rock and roll that got you on your feet and had you screaming.



GENERATIONS covered the Doobie Brothers, the Doors, Steppenwolf, Deep Purple and Jethro Tull to name a few. I saw Generations about a year ago at BRONKOS in Baldwin. But this time the band had something different, a female lead singer who looks just like Tina Turner did in her 30’s (not much different from right now). She belted out the rock driven soul tune with passion and fire. (All the guys were stuck to the floor with their mouths hanging open).

As I ordered my second beer, I caught up with Dennis an old friend from the old school. We covered some ground when we got to the subject of Anthony Esposito. After that talk I had a deep bittersweet feeling of awe. A community came out to celebrate the life of a man who worked hard, loved and supported his family and had reached his immediate world in such a way that world reached out for his family.

I hunted down the man with the donation box and threw in what I had. I know what a family goes through when it looses ‘Daddy’ or a wife looses her love, her heart and the joy in her life. I caught up with Breezy again as I headed for the door. I then checked out the tribute that was on the table in one of the booths. When I saw the picture of Anthony Esposito, it rattled me.

Breezy patted me on the shoulder and moved on. The photo was a perfect image of Breezy but it was Anthony. This is the beginning of a long time of hurting for the family of Anthony Esposito. That Sunday we celebrated Anthony’s life, from hear out the community that came together for the pig should stay together to wipe the tears.



The sting in my gut that moved me to tears after being thanked by family and friends was the WORD. In my soul I could hear and see the old Black Bishop with his robe flowing as he quoted the WORD of GOD,… “Better to go to the house of mourning Than to go to the house of feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart.” (Ecc. 7:2)



Peace

RJ